The Court of Appeal Bill was signed into law by President Higgins on the 20th of July 2014. It provides that the new Court of Appeal is to be constituted of a President and up to nine ordinary judges.
The Government today announced a number of serving judges of the High Court as Judges designate of the Court of Appeal:
- The Hon. Mr. Justice Peter Kelly,
- The Hon. Ms. Justice Mary Finlay Geoghegan,
- The Hon. Mr. Justice Michael Peart,
- The Hon. Mr. Justice George Birmingham,
- The Hon. Ms. Justice Mary Irvine, and
- The Hon. Mr. Justice Gerard Hogan.
As with the announcement of the Hon. Mr. Justice Seán Ryan as President Designate of the Court of Appeal on the 25th of February 2014, formal nominations for appointment to the Court of Appeal will take place once the Court has been established. Arrangements will then be made for the formal appointment of the President as well as these six judges to the Court of Appeal by President Higgins.
23 July 2014
ENDS
Note for Editors
The Programme for Government indicated that the necessary steps to create a permanent Court of Appeal would be taken during the lifetime of the current Government.
A referendum proposing the establishment of the Court of Appeal was agreed to by the people on 4 October 2013. Under the terms of the referendum proposal it was specified that a law providing for the establishment of the Court of Appeal should be enacted as soon as practicable after the enactment of Article 34A (which indicates that the Court of Appeal is to be established in accordance with its terms).
The Court of Appeal Act 2014 provides for the establishment of the new Court and makes the necessary legislative provision to ensure that it is accommodated within the existing courts’ structure. The Bill was signed into law by the President on the 20th of July 2014 and specifies that the new Court of Appeal is to comprise a President and up to nine ordinary judges.
Under section 17 of the Courts and Court Officers Act 1995, the procedures in respect of the Judicial Appointments Advisory Board do not apply in respect of judicial appointments where a sitting judge is nominated for appointment.
Limited biographical notes in respect of the President Designate and each of the Judges Designate are below:
The Hon. Mr. Justice Seán Ryan – President Designate of the Court of Appeal
§ Educated: University College Dublin and the King’s Inns
§ Called to the Bar: 1972
§ Called to the Inner Bar: 1983
§ Appointed as a Judge of the High Court: 2003
The Hon. Mr. Justice George Birmingham
§ Educated: Trinity College and King’s Inns
§ Called to the Bar: 1976
§ Called to the Inner Bar: 1999
§ Appointed as a Judge of the High Court: 2007
The Hon. Ms. Justice Mary Finlay Geoghegan
§ Educated: University College Dublin, the College of Europe, Bruges and the Law Society of Ireland
§ Admitted as a Solicitor: 1973
§ Called to the Bar: 1980
§ Called to the Inner Bar: 1988
§ Appointed as a Judge of the High Court: 2002
The Hon. Mr. Justice Gerard Hogan
§ Educated: University College Dublin, University of Pennsylvania and the King’s Inns
§ Called to the Bar: 1984
§ Called to the Inner Bar: 1997
§ Appointed as a Judge of the High Court: 2010
The Hon. Ms. Justice Mary Irvine
§ Educated: University College Dublin and the King’s Inns
§ Called to the Bar: 1978
§ Called to the Inner Bar: 1996
§ Appointed as a Judge of the High Court: 2007
The Hon. Mr. Justice Peter Kelly
§ Educated: University College Dublin and the King’s Inns
§ Called to the Bar: 1973
§ Called to the Inner Bar: 1986
§ Appointed as a Judge of the High Court: 1996
The Hon. Mr. Justice Michael Peart
§ Educated: University College Dublin and the Law Society of Ireland
§ Admitted as a Solicitor: 1970
§ Appointed as a Judge of the High Court: 2002